Harrogate

Harrogate's population increased by about 6,500 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 160,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Harrogate increased by 4.3%, from about 151,000 to 158,000.

The addition of just over 6,500 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Harrogate was home to, on average, 0.86 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Yorkshire and The Humber, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Harrogate

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Harrogate increased by three years, from 40 to 43 years.

This area had a higher average age than Yorkshire and The Humber and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 4,300 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 5,000.

About 12.0% of people in Harrogate are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Harrogate by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Relationships in Harrogate

The proportion of married people fell in Harrogate, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber.

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 51.9% to 47.0%.

During this period, Harrogate overtook Richmondshire and North Lincolnshire to become the Yorkshire and The Humber local authority area with the sixth-highest percentage of married people.

The proportion of married people was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple increased in Harrogate, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber, except Craven.

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple, as the regional average grew from 8.7% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Harrogate residents that were studying increased from 2.5% to 2.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (55.7%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 55.1% in 2001. The percentage of Harrogate residents that were unemployed increased from 1.9% to 2.6%.

The proportion of students increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were in education across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Harrogate without children remained close to 63.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 28.4%, while the percentage of households in Harrogate with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.2% to 8.4%.

The proportion of households without children increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 60.8% in 2001 to 62.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61.2%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

Long hour working fell in Harrogate, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber, except Ryedale and Selby.

Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the proportion of people working long hours fell from 12.6% to 9.4% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in York (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Harrogate) fell from 11.2% to 8.4%.

Long hour working was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Harrogate

The percentage of Harrogate residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89.8% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.3% in 2001. The percentage of Harrogate residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.3% to 7.4%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (which remained close to 89.6%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 89.8%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Harrogate

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Harrogate was among those who said they had no religion, rising 9.9 points.

In 2011, 23.0% of respondents in Harrogate gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 13.1% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 14.1% to 25.9%, while across England the percentage went from 14.5% to 24.6%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Harrogate, 68.6% said they were Christian, compared with 79.0% in 2001. About 0.1% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion increased from 7.0% to 7.1%.

In Harrogate, 7.1% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.0% in 2001. In Yorkshire and The Humber, 6.8% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

the population without a religion in Harrogate increased by 9.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Harrogate by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Harrogate, but at a slower rate than in nearby York.

In Harrogate, the proportion of private renting increased from 12.2% in 2001 to 17.5% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby York increased from 9.9% to 17.9%.

Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the share of privately rented homes increased from 9.1% to 15.9%.

The rate of social housing in Harrogate remained close to 9.1%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 75.5% to 71.1%.

Private renting in Harrogate increased by 5.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Harrogate, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Harrogate residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.2% to 3.8% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84.4%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 72.2% in 2001. The percentage of Harrogate residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20.7% to 11.8%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 10.3% in 2001 to 6.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Harrogate decreased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Harrogate, Yorkshire and The Humber and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Harrogate

In 2011, 1.5% of Harrogate residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 0.5% in 2001.

Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 4.7% to 7.3%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 96.3% of people in Harrogate said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 98.4% in 2001. About 1.1% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.7% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.2% to 0.7%.

the population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Harrogate remained close to 1.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Harrogate by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Harrogate residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.8% to 1.0% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 50 (1.8%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Harrogate remained close to 1.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Harrogate by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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